


Disclosure

by randers1



Category: Chicago PD (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:55:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27733387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/randers1/pseuds/randers1
Summary: Hailey's back from NY and starting over with her boss and her partner. Telling the rest of the team is another matter until Hailey has a moment to reflect on just how she got to this point.
Relationships: Jay Halstead & Hailey Upton, Jay Halstead/Hailey Upton
Comments: 8
Kudos: 103





	Disclosure

“You didn’t leave me a choice.” Hank leaned back in his chair and watched her. “Looks like maybe you disagree.”

Hailey blew out a breath and tried to keep her composure, sucking her teeth once before speaking.

“I don’t believe that.” She bit out the words. “Sending me to a task force out of state... If there was a _list_ of choices, that had to be at the very bottom.”

Hank sat forward. “Hailey. I’d already talked to you, tried to warn you.”

“You warned me about _myself._ I can take _care_ of myself.”

The pen he was holding tapped against his desk. “Not in this unit. When I took you on, I brought _you_ on to this team. You followed your own instincts, made your own calls based on your work ethic and skills. What you were doing, where you were going, that wasn’t you. And if it was? It was gonna get you bounced outta here fast.” He pushed back in his chair and walked around to perch on the corner of his desk to face her, not oblivious to the fact that she’d minutely steeled herself against his approach. He didn’t know if it was an unconscious act or not but it hurt him, though that hurt was immediately sent down deep.

Hailey shook her head, continuing to push her rationale. “I didn’t do anything you wouldn’t have done. What I did kept a known offender off the streets. Protected innocent people.”

“What you did could have landed you without a badge and in prison.” He looked at her knowingly. “And you weren’t protecting innocent people, Hailey. You were protecting Vanessa.”

Her eyes flashed as she realized the depth of what he knew.

“Now. Here’s my question to you. Now that you’re back. What you did---with Gael,” He clarified. “Would you do it again?”

Hailey took a moment to breathe, to think; to think about what drove her to plant that evidence, to push aside what she knew was right and wrong, and act anyway. Her lips flattened so hard that they disappeared for a second.

And then she answered quietly. “No.”

For all of her fight against her boss and how he’d have done the same thing, had done it, it wasn’t her style and she knew it.

Hank watched her and nodded, accepting the concise response, happy with it. But then he pushed. “And Darius Walker?”

She looked away from him immediately, searching herself. “He killed Cameron.”

“Yeah. He probably did,” Hank agreed quietly.

She bristled at the ‘probably’ but forced herself to move past it. “Cam was annoying. And stupid.” She looked to him. “But he didn’t deserve to die for that.”

Hank just continued to watch her.

“I’m not sorry Darius is dead,” was all she could offer.

“Hm,” Voight grunted. He had a choice. He could force the issue, confront her with the real question of would she put motions in to play again to get justice she felt was deserved. But he didn’t. He knew his own morality was questionably flexible at times, and while he didn’t condone what she’d done in that case, he completely understood it. So long as she’d heard what he’d told her right after. It would eat her alive. If she could find a way to live that way, if he could help her with it by keeping her close and keeping a watchful eye, he would.

“Good enough.” The answer was abrupt and he moved to grab a file, indicating their meeting was over.

“So that was it?” Jay asked over the lip of his beer bottle before taking a sip from it.

“Yeah.” She shrugged, seeming to be just as surprised. “Guess I’m free to move forward.” She sipped her own drink and visibly relaxed as they waited for Hermann to finish pouring the round that their table was waiting on.

“Hm,” Jay wiped at his mouth. “Speaking of moving forward…” He smirked and glanced around the full bar.

Molly’s could definitely have a quiet and relaxed atmosphere but on a Thursday night, especially hours after a police unit closed a bad case, the fire department battled a big fire resulting in Chicago Med’s ED to be overrun with trauma cases, it was the exact opposite. It was beyond bustling and bordering on rowdy. Everyone was drinking, talking, some yelling, some playing darts, but everyone, _everyone_ that could be there from those places was there and they were all drinking. Heavily. It was money in the owners’ pockets and needed decompression for the customers.

And it was something else for Hailey and Jay. She’d been back from New York for three weeks and dating her partner for a little over one. The case they’d just closed had been long and tough, and while they’d spent hours at both his and her place since, this was their first outing together.

“What?” Hailey pulled the beer from her lips and placed it on the bar, smiling at the bartender as he nearly finished their order.

“I think we should come clean. To everyone.”

They both glanced around at all the people. Hailey smirked. “You’re cute. You really think they don’t already know?”

He inhaled and gave her a mild eye-roll. “There’s telling and there’s knowing. Or thinking they know. I think we should tell.”

She cocked her head to the side a bit and her brow furrowed lightly. “What exactly do you want to tell them, Jay? That we’re sleeping together?”

“ **Hey-oh!”** Hermann had just placed the tray of drinks in front of them and caught Hailey’s words. He grinned at them as Hailey closed her eyes, feeling the self-conscious blush creep over her cheeks.

Jay just chuckled, “That’s one down.”

“I heard nothing.” Hermann’s hands went up in self-defense.

“Heard nothing about what?” Stella appeared with one last drink and placed it on the tray with the others.

“Oh my God.” Hailey murmured as she opened her eyes to shoot Jay a look.

“Absolutely nothing,” the older man grinned again.

Stella just nodded and muttered a “Great,” before heading back down the bar.

“But for what it’s worth,” Hermann leaned forward toward them, “and not that it’s any of my business, it’s about damn time.” A wink. “And hey, this round’s on me.”

Hailey’s head tilted back a bit as she blinked hard. “Well, that does takes the sting out of it a bit.” She mustered up a small smile to Hermann as he helped another patron, before looking back at Jay.

“See? The world didn’t end,” he teased. “ _And_ we got free drinks.”

“Yet,” she deadpanned. “Night’s still young.”

He knew she was just giving him a hard time and smirked. He put out his arm, offering to play with her fingers or take her hand.

Hailey grinned at him over her beer. “Nice try. Ain’t happenin’, Bud.”

Jay’s mouth dropped open in mock hurt before gesturing down the bar. “C’mon. _Hermann_ knows…”

She quirked an eyebrow “Ohhhhh,” she nodded as though Hermann knowing was the thing that made it all okay. Hailey tipped her head back to drain the rest of her beer, put the empty bottle on the bar, and got serious with him. “Why is it anyone’s business? Why does it need to be some big announcement?”

“It doesn’t have to be,” he countered. “And it’s not, but we do work with them. And they’re our friends. All we have to do is be us.” He wiggled his fingers at her again, exaggeratingly inviting her to take them.

All it did was make her roll her eyes and laugh. “You’re an idiot.”

He breathed out a chuckle and put a hand to his chest. “That hurts my feelings, Hailey.” At her purposeful smirking and unapologetic look he continued. “But that’s okay, you can make it up to me later.” He waggled his eyebrows at her.

Hailey gave a low laugh along with a wink. “Count on it.” She grinned at him and picked up the tray, leaving him to groan, grin, and follow her back to their table.

He caught up to her just as she lifted the tray up high and placed it on the table and announced, “I present to you, a new round of drinks. No pushing, no shoving,” She teased the group.

She and Jay sat back down with their team plus Will and a few members fire house 51.

Severide nudged Jay as Will looked on. “Hey, you and Upton—you looked pretty chummy up there.”

“Well..y’know, it’s Hailey.” Jay shrugged, sipped his new drink and avoided a real answer.

Which just made Kelly lean forward and dig in. “Anything going on there?” Kelly shot a look to Will before continuing. “Cuz if not, one of the guys over at 17 was asking about her.”

It took a lot for Jay not to choke and he settled his gaze on the darts game over Severide’s shoulder. “Not sure Upton likes being set up. You’re gonna have to talk to her about that.”

Kelly watched Jay intently. “Mm hmm.” He looked to Will. “See that?”

“I did.”

“See what?” Jay was lost at the quick exchange between his brother and his friend.

“You didn’t answer the question.” At Jay’s furrowed brow, he explained, “If anything’s going on with you two.”

“Ach, c’mon,” he hid behind a sip of beer. “Don’t you have your own lives?”

“That’s a deflection,” Kelly looked at Will.

“Classic case,” agreed Will.

“Shut the fuck up,” laughed Jay while rolling his eyes, taking another sip, and looking around the table.

He knew Hailey’s reasons for not wanting to go public with their relationship. A) it _was_ nice living in their own little bubble and B) There was speculation and then there was knowing. And ‘knowing’ opened them up to scrutiny about their partnership, the calls they made, and so on. But it wasn’t unheard of, partners dating. It could be done, successfully he’d heard. Hoped.

Not that it mattered much. He wasn’t going to out them if she wasn’t ready, he just hoped she’d be ready soon. He wanted to sit next to her, rub her arm, her thigh, kiss her when he wanted to, wrap an arm around her and pull her to him. Make sure guys like the one at 17 knew that no, she wasn’t available.

Hailey caught Jay’s eyes and promptly averted hers. God, it was so hard to sit here and not stare at him, rub his arm, his back, just touch him. But she wasn’t ready for the smartass comments she knew would come their way, she wasn’t ready to have to explain how they’d gotten together after coming back from New York, she just wanted to keep it all to herself and between her and Jay. She was happy. Really happy, and she wanted to keep it small and simple. Just them for a little while longer.

She thought back to That Night. It had started off so normal, no different than any of their other nights. They’d watched a Blackhawks game, ate Chinese food and drank beers until Hailey who could usually hold her own wobbled in the kitchen and the crack heard as her head collided with the hood over the stove made Jay turn around.

She was grimacing and had a hand to the impact site while Jay turned back from getting the whiskey and was right in front of her.

“Hey, you okay?” He was reaching to move her hand so he could see the damage.

“Ow,” She understated. “Yeah. Totally fine. Just an idiot.”

She flinched a bit as he touched the reddened area at her hairline.

“I think you’re gonna live.”

Hailey went back to rubbing at her head as Jay pulled his hand away, grabbed for the whiskey and glasses, and began to pour.

“Thanks Doc. Now, should I expect Will to join me on our next surveillance shift?”

Jay chuckled and glanced over to her. “Hardly. But stop rubbing it. Want ice?”

“I don’t need ice,” she grumbled back.

“Don’t be a baby.” He grinned at her offended look. “Here,” he reached for her and gently kissed her hairline. “Better?” As he stepped back he realized what he’d just done and all but froze in place.

Hailey too was frozen, her eyes on her partner. “Uhhh. Yeah. Thanks.” Her voice and her smile were both soft. Her hand went slowly back to her forehead. She swallowed hard then gave a tight smile. “Guess it’s good the beer’s gone.”

“So, no to this?” He held up the glass of whiskey.

“Most definitely yes to that.” She reached for it, glancing up at him as her fingers brushed his and her breathing amped up.

Hailey tried to get comfortable on the couch. Jay had just kissed her—kind of—and she hadn’t said anything. She was still trying to process it when he came back in and sat beside her. They talked about the game and drank whiskey until Hailey made herself stop so that she’d be able to drive home.

“So don’t.” Jay had said it so easily while cleaning up the containers.

“Don’t what?”

“Go.” He knew they’d both been drinking but he also knew that he wasn’t drunk. Hadn’t had so much that he didn’t know what he was saying. “Stay.”

He sat back beside her on the couch and turned to look at her, drawing a leg up under him.

“Whaddya say?” He reached for a lock of her hair and pushed it back with a finger, speaking low. “At least finish the game. Besides, if there’s anything I’ve learned by having a doctor in the family it’s that you should always watch over a head injury.” He grinned.

She grinned back, both knowing hers was no real head injury.

Hailey couldn’t say anything. Stay longer, drink more? Is that what he was asking? Her head was swimming and she couldn’t tease out exactly what he meant. But she knew how she felt. How she’d felt before New York. How those feelings grew while she there, and how they’d intensified since she’d been back. Staying, seeing how the night went, thinking of it made her heart race in the best way.

Since she’d been back they’d texted her more frequently after work hours and not always about work, they’d drank coffee and walked around the river front while she helped him look for a decent birthday present for his brother. They watched hockey games, sat close, drank beers, talked. She didn’t know if he saw her shivers when their fingers touched at the transfer of a pen, or the pink tone her skin took on when they were close enough that she could feel his body heat. And tonight his lips had touched her skin and she’d felt…everything.

A buzzer sounded from the tv. “Blackhawks won,” she murmured, her gaze locked on him.

“Then….,” his tongue darted out to touch the corner of his lip. “We can find something else to do.” He smirked as he moved a bit closer to her.

She chuckled as she caught his meaning. “Yeah? Like…” she swallowed hard and looked around the room. “you have a puzzle around here?”

“Mm hm,” he stared at her, eyes going from her lips to her blue eyes.

“Or cards? I play a pretty mean game of Speed...”

“Hailey,” he warned, lowly, stopping her. “I don’t want to play any games.” The kiss to her forehead had been spontaneous but ever since being that close to her and touching her skin with his lips it had been all he could think about. He wanted to kiss her. Needed to. Wanted her to stay so he could all night.

She sucked in a breath and whispered his name.

“I’ve been. Trying to push this away or make it come quicker, I don’t know. But I don’t want to anymore. I just…I just want to do _this_.”

“Don’t wait,” she breathed.

Jay’s hand reached gently behind her. She felt his palm on the back of her neck, soft and firm, as his thumb brushed the hairs back there. She craned her neck, allowing him to have full access and closed her eyes.

She felt the pull as she opened her eyes. They were so close. She blinked a few times and made the move to close the gap between them. Her lips found his, her mouth opening to him as she yielded control.

The kisses that began as soft and searching quickly traded up to heated and were nearing frantic. Minutes passed and hands that had briefly explored arms and shoulders were beginning to venture farther before Hailey pulled back.

“Mmm, as great as this is,” Hailey smiled. “And it is pretty great.” A smirk disappeared as her brain kicked in. “Maybe….maybe I should go,” she murmured, moving back and biting at her bottom lip. It was an out. The moment she’d give him to shelve this for now. To think about what he wanted, what they were doing. What it meant for them.

He stared at her, trying to control both his emotions and his body’s response to her. His breathing was fast and he tried to control that too. Jay was so busy trying to control himself he couldn’t translate thoughts to words and remained silent.

She shook her head slightly and pushed hair back behind her ears. With a slight knowing smile she pulled farther back from him, the air immediately cooler around her and she sighed. She stood and slowly and smoothed the jeans at her thighs. If he wasn’t going to call it, she would. She was running from it she knew, but she wasn’t moving fast. The opposite in fact, she was moving slowly, as though her brain was taking it’s time in making sure this was the right choice. 

Her jacket was on and she was at his door.

“Hailey.” His voice came closer. “Hang on.”

She stilled.

“If you change your mind….. No expectations.” His hands were up. An open invitation.

She smiled at him and chuckled. That was the problem. She wanted expectations.

“And if this was--too much…too fast…..”

She put a hand on his chest, looked up at him with a small smile. “You’re a good guy Jay Halstead.“ She murmured. “Don’t worry about us, we’re good.” But she wasn’t sure if she was. 

She left his apartment and went to her car, sat there for 10 minutes in the cold without ever making a move to turn the car on, her mind and heart warring for the deciding factor in how she lived her life. Logically, or another way, if there was such a thing.

By the twelfth minute she was back and knocking at Jay’s door. When he opened it, Hailey stood, looking both soft and fiery.

“I changed my mind.”

The left corner of his lip ticked upward. First at seeing her, then higher when he heard what she said.

“Then get back in here.” It came out like a growl, through the grin that had immediately spread across his face as he reached for her, and she willingly went to him. Hands at his shoulders as he bent to her, mouth pressing hard against hers as he pulled her in to his apartment and kicked the door closed.

They’d kissed and traveled halfway through the apartment when Hailey patted his chest.

“Wait—just one sec” she pushed against him. “You said ‘no expectations’---“

“And I meant it.” It was a hoarse whisper. If she wanted to stop, he’d find the strength. As long as she stayed.

She nodded. “I know you did. And that’s the thing.”

He pulled back to look at her. She was serious about whatever this was.

“I don’t need…” she started before taking a breath. She looked him in the eye and shook her head softly as she spoke. “I don’t mind the expectations.” This wasn’t just a one night thing. She couldn’t do that with Jay. Not an emotional reaction to something that happened during the day, not a drunken night that she may or may not regret the next day. _This_ she wanted and she wanted him to know that.

He grinned at her. “You don’t mind the expectations, huh?” he repeated.

She just looked at him for a moment. “I’ve wanted this. You.”

“And now you’re here,” he said quietly, running a hand along the side of her face. “And you’ve got me.” He cupped her jaw and pulled her up for a kiss. “And I’ve got you.”

“Hailey?” Adam laughed and rolled his eyes. “Yep, she’s gone.”

“Hailey, you okay?” Sylvie Brett was in her face, snapping fingers.

Hailey blinked her way out of the memory and focused on the friend in front of her. “Yeah,” she smiled. “Yeah, sorry. All good.”

She stood, grabbed her jacket, and caught Jay’s eye as she moved toward his side of the table.

He watched her come purposely toward him and was slightly confused at her movement.

Severide, Will, and Gallo stopped talking as she came up to their group.

“Hey fellas, mind if I borrow my partner for a second?Grab your coat.”

“Hailey?” Jay questioned, looking up at her.

She nodded her head toward the empty window area a few feet away and he followed her over there.

Jay rocked on his heels a bit. “What’s up?”

“Been thinking,” she looked serious. “Thinking about what you said.” She blew out a deep breath. “I’m on board.”

“How fast did you drink that—“ he started to tease but her hands on either side of his face stopped him cold.

“I’m on board.” She repeated and pulled him down to her, kissing him softly. Deeply. In front of everyone.

Neither of them heard the comments or the questions as Jay threw a glance to their group, took Hailey by the hand, and guided her out of the bar. Leaving together.

The next morning found them in the cab of Jay’s truck, coffee in hand from the stop they’d just made, and on their way to work. It was quiet except for the soft sounds of the radio and the calls that came out over the zone every few minutes for responding units.

Hailey was all smiles as she reached behind Jay and lightly scratched at the back of his neck. He looked over with a grin.

When they reached the parking lot and the car was in park and off, he turned to her. “You ready for this?”

She took in a breath. It didn’t really matter if she was or not. Leaving Molly’s as they had last night was a blazing neon sign. Today they’d hear about it. “Let’s do it.”

She felt the warm pressure of Jay’s hand on the small of her back before shifting in to partner-mode as they crested the top step in to the bullpen.

“Well.Well.Well…. _look_ who has arrived.” Kevin played with the toothpick in his mouth as he baited them.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, bring it on.” Jay grinned as Hailey said nothing. They parted ways at their desks but their changeover to Work Relationship met a hiccup as the team kept their eyes on them. Hailey sat heavily in her chair and turned her computer on. At the continued silence she swung her head to the right, then glanced behind her.

Kim was sending her a dirty look, scowling and twisting her lips. Maybe the team had a problem with this. With them.

“Kim?” Hailey’s voice was quiet now, questioning her teammate and friend.

“Dammit, you couldn’t wait a few more weeks?” The words were groans as she opened her desk drawer and took out a few bills. She crossed the room and put them on Adam’s desk.

Adam’s smirk told it all. They’d all known but were waiting for it to become public.

“She had you down for Christmas. Something about mistletoe.” He laughed.

“ **HEY**!” Kim shot back, finger pointed at Adam, annoyed. “It would have perfect.” She turned to Hailey and spoke softly. “It really would have been.”

Hailey tried to stifle her smile but was only marginally successful. Kim could be the biggest hard- ass feminist but she was also a huge romantic. It was sweet what she’d pictured. Hailey looked to Jay to quickly share her smile.

“$25 from me. I said it would happen after one of Jay’s hospital visits.” Atwater teased he threw his cash on Adam’s desk as well. Jay just scowled and rolled his eyes, torn between watching his computer boot up and the reactions of his friends. Truthfully, and not that he didn’t really care, but he didn’t really care. He and Hailey were more now. And it made him happy.

The scuffling of shoes against the floor made them all turn a bit. Voight walked over to them and looked at the bills in the small pile, then to Jay, then Hailey.

Hailey swallowed, waiting for what he had to say. Jay was also waiting but putting up a way more solid front than she was. He’d been through this, knew how it could go. But he’d learned to fight harder for his happiness since the last time and would go toe to toe with their boss if he had to. If he had to.

But Voight surprised them both. He pulled his wallet from his back pocket and pulled out a bill. The last of the group, he threw the money on the desk, and gave another look to the two detectives.

“Sarge?” Hailey questioned, completely confused.

“We’ll talk.” He began walking to his office, his back to them and made a circular gesture with his hand in the air. “Catch up on paperwork till something jumps off. Before you leave for the day though, my office.” He turned in the doorway and smirked. “Bring a pen.”


End file.
